The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-12-14
GRANDMOTHER'S STORY.
A CHRISTMAS PARTY.

~ CHRISTMAS PARTY.
"Tell US funny story this time"
Grandmother leaned back in her rocking
chair. looked into the faces Of three or four
grandchildren, who were sitting near her, and
laughed outright. Then she put one soft,
Wrinkled white hand up over her eyes, rested
her elbow on the arm of her chair, and laughed
again.
"oh you have thought OF ono, I'm surcl'
Her grandchildren with their fathers and
mothers, always spent Christmas at her homo,
and story from her lips was usually part
Of the programme for Christmas eve. And
this was the story that was told in answer to
their request. year ago this Christmas.
! "What think l will tell you about took
place about fifty-flve years ago. when was
fourteen years old. l cannot say that then
gaw anything funny in it. And if didn't
think II funny, / am sure the boy did not who
took his part in the events Of the evening.
''As have said, was fifteen years old, and
Ebcnezer Dill, who was neighbor and ac-
quaintance, was seventeen. We both went to
the same school-a district school and things
in and and around ii wero primitive enough
We lived about two miles from tho school
house, and the Dills farm Joined my fathers.
] was the Oldest child in our family. Ebe-
nezer was tho oldest Of the Dill's children,
and he and were tho only ones in either fam
lily who went to school that first winter.
'We often walked to and from school to-
Eether He was an awkard bashful boy with
red head, who always seemed to be growing
out Of his clothes before they were half worn
out, 30 that his pantaloons and the sleeves OF
bis coat were generally several inches too
short for him.
81 am sure, too, that I was awkward and
bashful and even at my best / never WAS a
beauty, so possibly ii would be about six-of-
one and half-a-dozen OF the other, il should
L. -, Nottl -
''We had lively, pleasant teacher that
winter. Some of the folks said he was too
full Of fun for school teacher, and that he
should have moro dignity But In those days,
as we'll as to-day, teacher would be found
fault with if he were made TO order. This
teachers name was Hooper, and he prepared
o tree, and had it placed in the school-house
the day before Christmas. Some Of the farmers
grumbled about that, and said il took our
minds of our book, and Mr.. Hoopers mind
from his duties rs teacher, and it wasn't right.
Nevertheless we had the tree.
1.-TWO or three days before Christmas, when
opened my spelling book, 1 found, between
the leaves. a little note scrubbed in red ink on
piece of paper torn from a copy-book. 1t
read like this:
"'MIss Observation-Disclosures miss: take my
pom in hand to wish you q merry Christmas
and to send you my best wishes, and to ask the
pleasure Of your society to the tree to be held
me writing that you will go with me, and
that / may get it soon l am your true friend
and admirer,
'EBENEzER b. DILL
"'P S. Ny pen is bad, my ink is pale,
Ny love for you shall never fail.
Z" e. b. DILL.
Round is the ring that has no end,
So is my love for you, my friend
"'EBENEzER.'
L.. 4. 49, III
with blue and red ink dove that looked like
Eander, sitting on tree that was not half as
big as the bird. This is all clear in my
memory as thought had taken place yesterday.
"Although walked home with Ebenezer that
night did not say anything about the note,
but the next day slipped this into his arith-
metic:
MISTER EBENEzER b. DILL-Kind sir:
Herein find my acceptance Of your company on
Friday night, az my folks are not coming, and
have no one else to come with, and am
much obliged for your wanting me to, and /
will be ready at seven o'clock.
MISS PRISCILLA II. FINK.
'P. s. don't know any poetry, or would
put some in p. H. F.
6" P. s. Our dog bit man bad yesterday,
20 be careful, for he isn't chained nights.
&c PRISCILLA
"By seven o'clock on the next Friday even
ing was ready TO start for tho school-house.
Ny father was always full Of fun, and was an
awful tease. OF course, he made the most of
this opportunity, and whom Ebenezer knocked
ut the door he opened il and said,-
"'Come in, Ebenezer Come right I'M Go
ing to act as beau tonight? Hey? Purity
dark night for you to be out alone, amt it9
They say q man SEQ bear in the woods to-
day. Better look out. Jake Simpson says he
saw tracks Of some monst'ous big varmint in
the frost this morning. Don't you let it eat up,
my Prissy.' .-...s o,,.. .o-,.,,,- Co., 49,,
It'll have to eat me first, SIR
"My mother, who enjoyed any innocent
pleasantly, laughed, and asked
/" Has your mother put anything on the
tree for you2'
"T don't know replied Eb.
"'well, sent over a doll for Prissy and ono
for you, too, and frosted cooky for each OF
You. Mind that you don't drop them IL that
Wild creature ont in the woods gets after you. :
"Ebenezer blushed and moved nervously in
his chair; but finally mustered up courage TO
"Ew.v.u r,o.. wo,d h.,,.r 10 Mia. Fink i.
'sThat Miss Fink amused father and mother
very much, and we could hear them laughing
after we got out into the road.
"Ebenezer was wonderfully fixed mp. The
hair oil was so thick on his head that 1t could
be seen in white spots where IL had hardened.
Then he had on a white collar over his flannel
shirt, and green ribbon neck-tie run through
coral ring. His blue gingham handkerchief
was odorous with cinnamon drops, and TO
crown the whole he had on his fathers over
coat.
al think We had gone half way 10 the school
house before either Of as could think OF a